Joseph was the most noble and honoured amongst the twelve sons of Jacob. The strongest opinion of scholars is that he was the only of Jacob's children to be a prophet and receive revelation.

Quran tells us that Joseph had a dream as a child, that 11 stars which represented his brothers and the sun and moon which represented his parents (Rachel/Rafiqa and Jacob/Israel) were all bowing down to him - this was a common practice at the time and was not against their religious laws and it was the prostration of respect not prostration of worship. But in the final religion of Islam the only permissible prostration is for Allah and it's forbidden to prostrate to anyone or anything else. After sharing this dream with his father, he was told he would be of high rank in both lives. He advised his son to not tell his brothers in case they were to become jealous - so he did not.

˹Remember˺ when Joseph said to his father, “O my dear father! Indeed I dreamt of eleven stars, and the sun, and the moon—I saw them prostrating to me!”12:4

In hadith, the people said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Who is the most honourable amongst the people (in Allah's Sight)?" He said, "The most righteous amongst them." They said, "We do not ask you, about this. " He said, "Then Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, The son of Allah's Prophet the son of Allah's Khalil (i.e. Abraham)." They said, "We do not want to ask about this," He said' "Then you want to ask about the descent of the Arabs. Those who were the best in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance will be the best in Islam provided they comprehend the religious knowledge." [Bukhari 3353, similarly in Muslim 2378 and Ahmad 2:431]

However, Joseph's brothers were still jealous of him. They did not find any reason for him to be favourable over them and devised an evil plan together.

Indeed, in the story of Joseph and his brothers there are lessons for all who ask.12:7

˹Remember˺ when they said ˹to one another˺, “Surely Joseph and his brother ˹Benjamin˺ are more beloved to our father than we, even though we are a group of so many. Indeed, our father is clearly mistaken.12:8

Kill Joseph or cast him out to some ˹distant˺ land so that our father’s attention will be only ours, then after that you may ˹repent and˺ become righteous people!”12:9

One of them said, “Do not kill Joseph. But if you must do something, throw him into the bottom of a well so perhaps he may be picked up by some travellers.”12:10

They thought to leave him in a barren land he is likely to not be able to get home from, kill him and ended up with the decision they would throw him into a well. They thought after doing this evil deed, they would get more attention from their father and afterwards they would repent. Mujahid said it was Simeon who suggested leaving him in the well, rather than killing him but Qatadah and Ibn Ishaq said it was the eldest. They all agreed and went ahead with their plot.

They told their father they were bringing Joseph with them for his own happiness and fun. Their father, Jacob, was apprehensive letting him go with his brothers as he was worried something would happen to him due to malice or negligence of his sons. He shared his concern saying perhaps Joseph gets eaten by a wolf if not looked after by his brothers. They practically forced their father to agree to let him go with them.

They said, “O our father! Why do you not trust us with Joseph, although we truly wish him well?12:11

Send him out with us tomorrow so that he may enjoy himself and play. And we will really watch over him.”12:12

He responded, “It would truly sadden me if you took him away with you, and I fear that a wolf may devour him while you are negligent of him.”12:13

They said, “If a wolf were to devour him, despite our strong group, then we would certainly be losers!”12:14

As soon as they set off, their excitement was obvious and upon reaching the well they grabbed him, removed his shirt and threw him into the bottom of the well, ignoring all innocent pleas of Joseph. Once left alone, Allah revealed to Joseph that he should not be worried as ease will come after this hardship. His brothers did not know Allah had already made revelations to Joseph, and would soon come to know the sickness of their misdeeds.

When his brothers returned to their father they took one of Joseph's shirts, dipped it in animal’s blood and in the darkness of night pretended to cry about their 'lost' brother. They began building a lie, trying to deceive their father that a wolf had attacked him whilst they were not watching him. Whilst they were persistent in their lies pretending to be grieved by him not being with them, their father knew deep down that they were lying. He confronted them by raising the point how the wolf ate Joseph without damaging the shirt, but they all stood by their lie, so he asked Allah to grant him the most beautiful patience. He was hopeful that Allah would look after Joseph.

And so, when they took him away and decided to throw him into the bottom of the well, We inspired him: “˹One day˺ you will remind them of this deed of theirs while they are unaware ˹of who you are˺.”12:15

Then they returned to their father in the evening, weeping.12:16

They cried, “Our father! We went racing and left Joseph with our belongings, and a wolf devoured him! But you will not believe us, no matter how truthful we are.”12:17

And they brought his shirt, stained with false blood. He responded, “No! Your souls must have tempted you to do something ˹evil˺. So ˹I can only endure with˺ beautiful patience! It is Allah’s help that I seek to bear your claims.”12:18